Trump expected to offer support for DACA immigration protection in exchange for more wall fundingPresident Trump on Saturday is expected to offer in a televised address protections from deportation for some undocumented immigrants in the U.S. in exchange for $5.7 billion to build the southern border wall.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac regulator discussing plan to end conservatorship Fannie, Freddie shares rocket on FridayThe acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency has told the agency’s employees that the regulator will announce a plan within weeks to take the government-sponsored enterprises out of conservatorship.

Why mortgage lending at Wells Fargo, Chase and Citi plunged Is 2019 likely to bring higher or lower mortgage lending volume? Mortgage lending at three of the country’s biggest banks has fallen off a cliff as customers pivot to online-only options and stop refinancing.

3 outside-the-box alternatives for home buyers in a tough housing market As the housing crunch continues, would-be buyers may want to consider these unorthodox optionsFor less typical ways to beat the housing shortage, look at manufactured homes, community land trusts and fixer uppers.

Here’s a Fannie-Freddie fix proposal that greases the skids for Congress A group of academics and practitioners have tried to make it as easy as possible for legislators to reform housing finance A new proposal from the Milken Institute lays out steps that the Treasury Department and the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can take to overhaul the entire housing finance system, to leave the hard decisions to Congress.

Good news and bad news about the real-estate market in 2019 9 housing and mortgage trends to watch for in the new yearBuilders are building smaller, more affordable homes, more people are choosing this type of loan, and other trends.

They help thousands of Americans become homeowners every year. Now they face a test of their own. They help Americans make the biggest purchase of their lives, using financing that can last for decades. Should they have to pass a test to keep practicing? Professionals who work for housing counseling agencies are now being asked to take and pass a test that will enable them to be certified by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a milestone that’s causing some consternation.

Why free-market economists aren’t impressed with Trump’s deregulation efforts When regulations are cut, it’s more about aiding politically important special interest groups than furthering free-market principles When regulations are cut, it’s more about aiding politically important special interest groups than furthering free-market principles.

Here’s what mortgage rates will do next year, from the people who usually get it wrong Looking back at the events that have derailed mortgage rates’ return to ‘normalcy’ over the past few years is unsettlingRates for home loans will be, on average, about 25 basis points higher next year - unless they are not. MarketWatch rounded up several forecasts from anyone foolhardy or brave enough to offer them, and present them here.

Trump nominates Pence's chief economist to lead Fannie, Freddie regulatorThe White House late Monday said President Trump would nominate Mark Calabria, the chief economist to Vice President Mike Pence, to be the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the overseer of mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Calabria previously served as a senior aide on the Senate Banking Committee, where he was one of the lead drafters of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which created the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Trump also said he would nominate Heath Tarbert, the assistant secretary for international markets at the Treasury Department, to be chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Both appointments are for five-year terms.

White House may nominate Mark Calabria, economist to Pence, as Fannie-Freddie regulator The term of the current FHFA head, Mel Watt, is up in JanuarySources tell the Wall Street Journal that Mark Calabria, Vice President Mike Pence’s economist, may be named head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the regulator of the two giant mortgage liquidity companies.

Fannie, Freddie announce holiday suspension of foreclosure evictionsHomeowners facing foreclosure won't be evicted over the holiday season if their mortgages are owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac . The two government-sponsored mortgage giants announced Monday that their annual eviction moratorium will run from December 17 through January 2. While mortgage servicers and lenders may still engage in legal activities related to foreclosure, affected families won't be locked out of the homes. This step should bring "a greater measure of certainty," Freddie said in a release. "We encourage homeowners who may be struggling with their mortgage or facing possible foreclosure to reach out," Fannie officials noted.

Mortgage rates hit a 2-month low, offering house-hunters the only reprieve from market turmoil So far this year, the 30-year fixed has averaged 4.54%, up from 3.99% in 2017Rates for home loans fell again, a welcome breather for those on the house hunt, or homeowners who want to refinance.

House prices have surged, and so will the government’s mortgage obligations Expanded Fannie and Freddie mortgage qualification again raises question over best use of federal resources for housingRising home prices led the regulator of the two massive government-sponsored mortgage enterprises to increase the dollar limit on mortgages they would guarantee, raising questions about what exactly the government’s role should be.

Zillow expects home-buying market to keep slowing, and commutes to get worseReal estate marketplace Zillow Group Inc. said it expects the home-buying market to continue to slow in 2019, as a continued rise in interest rates hurts affordability, particularly in already expensive markets. Zillow said it expects the 30-year fixed mortgage rate will rise to 5.8% by the end of 2019, compared with , according to Freddie Mac. "Some buyers may be pushed back toward the rental market, reversing the recent slowdown in rents," Zillow said. The company said it expects home price growth to slow, from a 5.6% rise since January to 3.8% growth in 2019. "The central storylines in the U.S. housing market didn't change much over the past few years, but a series of emerging trends are setting up a much different narrative for 2019," said Aaron Terrazas, Zillow's senior economist. Separately, the company said "commutes will worsen as the mismatch grows between job creation in urban cores and millennials settling in the suburbs." Zillow's stock has tumbled 30.6% over the past three months, while the SPDR S&P Homebuilers ETF has dropped 13.9% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 5.1%.

Regulator for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac lifts mortgage loan limitsA federal regulator on Tuesday raised the dollar amount of mortgages that can be backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as home prices continue to surge. Despite recent deceleration, prices of homes backed by the two government-sponsored enterprises rose 6.9% on average between the third and fourth quarters. That means that the base home loan limit will increase the same amount. In most of the U.S., that maximum will become $484,350, up from $453,100 in 2018. The cap for higher-cost areas will be $726,525.

Foreign central banks are snapping up U.S. mortgage bonds after a long lull Foreign official holdings of agency mortgage bonds have jumped more than $150 billion since last JulyAfter years of shying away, foreign central banks are dipping their toes back into the market for mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises

Bio-bonds: A new way to invest in the medical miracles of the future Karen Petrou is pushing for a funding mechanism that could attract a new crop of investorsKaren Petrou is pushing for a funding mechanism that could attract a new crop of investors.

U.S. budget deficit jumps to $779 billion Outlays rose by $127 billion while revenue rose by only $14 billionThe U.S. recorded a $779 billion deficit in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, an increase of $113 billion, as spending climbed while revenue remained nearly flat.

Wells Fargo readies its first post-crisis mortgage bonds A return of the long-dormant ‘private-label’ market? Not likely. Wells Fargo & Co. is set to become the second big bank to securitize mortgages it has originated, but the fact that such deals are so few and far between says a lot about the housing finance system now.

A $20 trillion bond index is on track for its second-worst year in history Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index has lost around 2.5% on a total return basis, so far this yearThe bond index anchoring trillions of dollars in fixed-income markets is on track to log its second-worst showing over the history of the benchmark’s existence.

Bond-market bloodbath likely to hit mortgage rates soon — another test for the housing market So far this year, the 30-year-fixed has averaged 4.47%, versus 3.99% in 2017Rates for home loans moved down, Freddie Mac said, but a sell-off in bonds will likely hit the mortgage market in the coming weeks.

Accuser of Fannie, Freddie regulator addresses House panel Watt was previously a colleague of many of the members of Congress conducting Thursday’s hearingAn employee of the FHFA accusing its director, Mel Watt, of sexual harassment, addressed the House Financial Services Committee.

Home builder stocks in broad decline as Freddie Mac said housing market has 'stalled'Home builder stocks were broadly lower Monday, as mortgage-finance company Freddie Mac said the U.S. housing market had "essentially stalled." The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF slumped 0.8% in morning trade, with 39 of its 47 equity components trading lower. Among the more active home builders, shares of PulteGroup Inc. shed 1.2%, of D.R. Horton Inc. gave up 0.5%, of Lennar Corp. lost 0.8% and of Toll Brothers Inc. fell 1.2%, while KB Home's stock climbed 1.5%. Elsewhere, shares of home improvement retailers Home Depot Inc. declined 0.8% and of Lowe's Companies dropped 1.0%. Freddie Mac said despite slightly improving inventory conditions and home price pressures, it now expects home sales in 2018 to be "just below" last years's level. "The spring and summer home buying and selling season ultimately ended up being a letdown, despite a faster growing economy and healthy demand for buying a home," said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater. "Unfortunately, too many would-be buyers continue to be tripped up by not enough affordable supply and the one-two punch of much higher home prices and mortgage rates." The home builder ETF has lost 16% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 9.2%.

Americans’ fascination with ‘mortgage rates:’ a tour through financial market history This chart shows American consumers asking Google for guidance on mortgage rates over the past decadeA graphical representation of when consumers are searching Google for the term “mortgage rates” says a lot about the economic and financial history of the past few years.

Employee wants Senate hearing to discuss sexual misconduct allegation made against FHFA's WattThe Federal Housing Finance Agency employee who accused the agency's head, Mel Watt, of sexual misconduct, wants the Senate Banking Committee to hear her allegations publicly. The employee, Simone Grimes, sent a letter to Senators Mike Crapo and Sherrod Brown, according to the trade publication Inside Mortgage Finance. Grimes' lawyer said she wants a public hearing to discuss her complaint. The House Financial Services Committee is expected to hold an FHFA oversight hearing about FHFA by the end of September. Watt issued a statement in July saying he had not "done anything contrary to law."

Homeowners are sitting on a record $6 trillion in equity. Why aren’t they using it? Rising interest rates are making lines of credit more expensive... and Americans may still be leery of cash-out refisThe amount of home equity that American households can withdraw from their homes hit a new high in the spring even as the amount actually taken out fell, according to data from Black Knight.

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